


I Got a Rock

by The_Whistler



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Gen, Halloween, Robots, trick or treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2013-10-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 01:32:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Whistler/pseuds/The_Whistler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two teenagers meet a very strange pair of trick-or-treaters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Got a Rock

**Author's Note:**

> I only wish... I really do. But alas, it is just a story.
> 
> Inspired by this month's Cavalcadium art prompt... Here's the drawing:  
> http://beethegatekeeper.deviantart.com/art/Trick-or-Treat-411010954?ga_submit_new=10%253A1383382156
> 
> Oh! And I would like to add a little musical accompaniment... a song called "Trick or Treat".  
> https://myspace.com/thephiladelphiaorchestra/music/song/trick-or-treat-halloween-fantasy-for-pizzicato-strings-28645137-28510044

"Get the door, Amy! I think we have our first trick-or-treaters!"

"Alright, mom..." replied the teenager in weary tones. "I'll be right back, Hannah."

"Nah, I'll come, too!" her friend said, bouncing to her feet. "I want to see their lil costumes."

"Whatever." Hannah always had liked kids, for some reason.

They opened the screen door.

"Trick or treat!" piped a fairy princess and her baby brother, who was dressed as Iron Man.

"Cute," Amy said dryly, raising her voice to be heard over the high-pitched squeak coming from Hannah.

"You are so adorable!" the girl said, giving each of them a handful of Smarties.

"Thank you!" they crowed in flat tones as they toddled back to their beaming parents.

"Well, at least they're polite," she said, closing the screen door. "Yuck, Smarties."

"I know, right? But the little kids love them. You remember?"

"I do actually."

The returned to the computer.

"Are you sure you two don't wanna go around the neighborhood and check out the decorations, honey?" called her mother from upstairs. "I think The Johnsons have a scare house up the street."

"Yeah, I saw it last year. Lots of strobe lights and people in rubber masks feeling you up."

"Amy!"

"LOL!" said Hannah.

"You actually say 'LOL'?"

"You don't have to be nasty about it," her mom called.

"I'm not kidding, that Matt Johnson's a perv, Mom. Total pedo."

"Total," muttered Hannah.

"If you don't want to go, fine! Ugh! For cryin' out loud..."

They snickered as the doorbell rang. Hannah went alone and Amy glanced over from her typing as she gave out some more Smarties and a few Tootsie Pops. The kids didn't thank her.

"Meh. There's always some." said Hannah as she returned to their Google Hangout. Amy was finishing a rant about the Johnsons and her mother. Hannah read it and shook her head.

The doorbell rang again. They went together again; this group said thank you but flipped them off.

"You little..." squeaked Hannah.

"Great, just lovely," Amy muttered. "Mom, can you hand out candy? We're getting creeps here."

"I'm tryin' to finish this chapter..."

"And she gripes at me for not getting out," Amy sighed. Hannah shrugged. They started back toward the computer.

_Ding-dong._

They exchanged glances and crept toward the screen door, trying to determine whether it was another crowd of nasty little tweens this time. Hannah held her finger to her lips. Someone was speaking.

"Be cool, Hatchy! It's goin' great."

"But Rabbit, I am so uncomfortable..."

"What? Ya l-l-l-look adorable!"

"No, I look like a robot with no legs."

A what? They looked at each other, wide-eyed.

"Shh! You have legs, they're just shorter. We'll put yours back on when we get home."

"Can we go _now_?"

"What? Dontcha want the candy?"

"You made it sound wonderful... but brother... we have so much, and besides... I do not eat."

Amy peered around the frame. She could see one kid dressed as a pirate. His proportions were kind of off, though...

"Spoilsport," he said. His voice was awfully deep for a kid's.

"Oh, great," she hissed to Hannah. "We got a couple of crazy dwarves who like candy..."

Hannah covered her mouth, Amy couldn't tell if she was laughing or scared. She pulled out her cell and dialed 911, holding her thumb at the ready over the "send" button, and stepped in front of the screen door.

"Heads up, Hatchy, we're on!" hissed the pirate to a person in a bear suit and raincoat standing beside him.

"Trick or treat!" they chorused, their voices suddenly unvaryingly childlike. It almost sounded like a recording...

"Yeah, okay... I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but this candy is for kids."

"But we're kids," said the pirate in a syrupy and not at all convincing high-pitched voice.

"Yeah. I don't think so. You've got five seconds to get out of here before I call the cops."

The pirate gaped. The other began to tremble.

"Rabbit!" he cried in a high, terrified voice. "This is all your fault! Now we are going to be arrested!" He began to rub fitfully at his eyes like a crying child, gulping and keening softly in his strange shrill tone. The girls stared in wonder. What was really odd was that smoke... or was it steam? began to pour from under his rain hat.

"B-b-b-b-but..." the pirate faltered.

"I beg your pardon, ladies. Is there a problem?" asked a deep voice.

They looked up... and further up. Stepping onto the porch behind the weirdos was a tall cowboy with a silver face and goggles around his neck. He tipped his white hat politely.

"Evenin' ma'am. Are my boys giving you trouble?"

"She's givin' us trouble!" cried the pirate indignantly.

"Whoa... Um... well, look, mister... these aren't exactly kids, are they? I mean, look at the bodies..."

He looked at them and smirked. Anyone could see the problem. Each of them had short legs, but their bodies were otherwise adult in proportion... even their arms. It was quite disturbing, especially considering what she'd been expecting.

"Well, ma'am," he drawled, thoroughly swept up in his role, "I told these varmints there was more to looking like a kid than attaching shorter legs, but they didn't pay me no mind. Nothin' new there."

"Uh..."

"Hey, you kidding?" the pirate objected. "We're cute as a couple of bugs!"

"Oh, I don't know..." said Hannah.

"Bugs aren't exactly my idea of cute..." said Amy. The cowboy grinned at her and she blushed.

"Time to go, _boys_."

"Hurray!" cried the raincoat bear.

"Aw, Pappy, do we hafta?" the pirate pouted.

The cowboy rolled his eyes. "Nice touch. But we had a deal. Trick or treat until party time, or until someone saw through your costumes."

"I'm so confused," whispered Hannah. Amy nodded.

"Yeah, what about that? Y-y-you said they'd figure it out at the first house!"

"Don't be too proud of that, Rabbit..."

"Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"Uh-huh. I'm just amazed you got this far.  Lucky for you, the first street was like something from Edward Scissorhands. Thank goodness there are intelligent people left in the suburbs." He looked at Amy and winked. Hannah bumped her shoulder against her and grinned.

"Stop it, dummy," Amy hissed, embarrassed.

"Anyway, you got found out first, luckily, since that'll give us enough time to change out your legs before the party. C'mon."

"Awww..." said the pirate.

"Thank goodness," sighed the bear.

"Wait!" Amy cried as they turned away. "Who are you?"

The cowboy tipped his hat again. "My name is Rex Marksley..."

"Seriously?" Hannah snorted.

He raised his eyebrows. They made a clicking sound.

"Isn't that a good name?"

"Well, it's just so... I dunno. Corny. No one really has a name like that!"

Smoke suddenly rose from his back. Her jaw dropped as the pirate snickered.

"Are you on fire?" Amy asked, alarmed.

"Hm?" He was scowling at the pirate. "Oh, no... well... look, I'll level with you, miss. We're robots."

She stared.

"Spine! Yer blowin' the act!"

"I thought we were going home to put our legs back on..." sighed the bear.

"I apologize, ma'am, for the deception. These two needed a lesson they couldn't get any other way."

"Hey! I ain't yer little boy for reals, hot shot!"

"Quiet, Rabbit. We'll be on our way. Oh... here."

He pulled an orange handbill from his pocket and stuffed it throught the mail slot.

"We're having a Halloween party at Walter Manor... over by the Park. We're inviting everyone from the surrounding neighborhoods, and we'd love to see you there. Mr. Walter says he's doing it because we need to improve our public image, but I personally think he just enjoys Halloween. He's gone all out. Come by if it's convenient. Just make sure not to stray out of the marked areas for your safety."

"Oh... thank you..." Marked areas?

"Oh... and don't be afraid of the cat. It's very gentle."

"Al-right..."

"Have a real pleasant evenin', ladies," he said, resuming his cowboy persona. He and the other two... robots? walked away, the pirate grumbling the entire way as he waddled down the sidewalk. They stared after them for a long moment before looking at each other and the handbill.

"Well?" Amy asked.

"Are you kidding?" Hannah grinned.

"Mom!" called Amy.

"Huh?"

"We'll see you later. We're going to a Halloween party!"


End file.
